1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable computer and related control methods, and more specifically, the present invention discloses a portable computer and related control methods for preventing input interruption by write-tracking an input region.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In modern society, a computer system with a capability for dealing with digital signals is one of the major prerequisites for arranging, storing, and exchanging data and information. Especially, a portable computer (such as a personal digital assistant, PDA) with a small size and light weight is one of the best digital-data platforms for a user to look up, review, and store digital data.
The portable computer usually uses a user interactive touch screen functioning as an interface between a user and the portable computer to display digital data on a large-area screen. The user interactive touch screen can display pictures and writing data. In addition, the user interactive touch screen functions as a touch panel for sensing a position of pressure exerted by a user for controlling the portable computer, according to different pressure position within the touch panel. Furthermore, due to advancement of handwriting identification technology, the user can directly press the touch panel to write down information when the user wishes to input the information to the portable computer. Therefore, the portable computer can identify the information inputted by the user according to write-traces of the user detected by the touch panel so as to input the information to the portable computer. The handwriting input can not only reduce space occupied by the portable computer, but also supply a better interface so that the user can control the portable computer via the touch panel.
Since technology of display devices and screens is advanced and costs of portable computers are being reduced, areas of the screen and the touch panel of the portable computer are being gradually enlarged. Nevertheless, if the user accidentally touches the portable computer, an unwanted interruption can be easily caused.
Please refer to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 1A is a diagram of a portable computer 10 when a user inputs information to the portable computer 10 through handwriting according to the prior art. FIG. 1B is a diagram of pressure positions on the portable computer 10 depicted in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 1A, the portable computer 10 comprises a user interactive touch screen having a touch panel 14 and a screen 12 for displaying data and pictures. When a user uses a touch pen 16 to touch the touch panel 14, the touch panel 14 will detect a pressure position 18A exerted by the touch panel 14 and identify data and commands of the portable computer 10 inputted by the user according to position variation corresponding to write-traces of the pressure position 18A.
Nevertheless, when the user uses the touch pen 16 to touch the touch panel 14, a portion of the user""s hand will unavoidably touch the touch panel 14 and simultaneously produce a number of pressure positions on the touch panel 14. As shown in FIG. 1B, a pressure position 18A is formed by the touch pen 16, and a pressure position 18B is formed by the hand of the user. When the touch panel 14 simultaneously senses the pressure positions 18A and 18B, the touch panel 14 has no way of differentiating which pressure position is the pressure position 18A of the touch pen 16. Therefore, the portable computer 10 cannot exactly differentiate commands inputted by the user, and is not able to correctly control the portable computer 10.
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a touch input method and related devices capable of preventing input interruption caused by a user by write-tracking an input region so as to overcome defects of the prior art.
The claimed invention, briefly summarized, discloses a method for a portable computer. The portable computer has a touch panel for sensing a position of pressure exerted by a user. The method includes setting an input region on the touch panel. When the user touches the touch panel after a previous touch, the method includes updating the position of the input region according to the relative displacement between the touches, and controlling the portable computer only according to pressure position inside the input region if the user simultaneously presses inside and outside the input region within the touch panel.
It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the claimed invention utilizes the write-tracking input region to prevent an accidental touch caused by the user from interfering with a touch input process. The claimed invention cannot only provide an easy and smooth handwriting touch input, but also eliminate the accidental touch caused by the user so as to enhance efficiency of the portable computer.
These and other objectives and advantages of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.